Portable storm-front for street-railway cars.



No. 773,620. PATENTED NOV. 1, 1904.

H. M. ADAMS. PORTABLE STORM FRONT FOR STREET RAILWAY CARS.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. 26, 1904.

N0 MODEL.

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UNITED STATES Patented November 1, 190's.

PATENT OFFICE.

PORTABLE STORM-FRONT FOR STREET-RAILWAY CARS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 773,620, dated November1, 1904.

Application filed August 26, 1904.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I,HUGI-I M. ADAMs,a citizen upon or addition to thefront covered by my application for United States Letters Patent, SerialNo. 205,813, filed April 30, 1904, and allowed June 6, 1904.

In the application referred to the construction described and claimeddoes not protect the operative of the car at the sides of the platform,but merely directly in front thereof. Consequently when a storm isprevailing the operative is exposed to the elements at the sides, and asthe car is not always advancing into the face of the storm such exposureadmits the elements to the platform from the sides thereof.

It is therefore the object of the present invention to provide simpleand eflicient means of a portable nature whereby when the main curtainof the storm-front is placed in operative position the sides of theplatform will be closed and the operative effectually protected at suchpoints, as well as at the spaces at the sides of the main curtain formedby the distension thereof.

l/Vith this general object in view and others, which will appear as thenature of the improvements is better understood, the invention consists,substantially, in the novel construction, combination, andarrangement ofparts, as will be hereinafter fully described, illustrated in theaccompanying drawings, and pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is'a side elevation of one end of a carequipped with a stormfront constructed in accordance with my formerinvention and embodying the herein-described improvement. Fig. 2 is atransverse sectional view thereof, taken through the dis- Serial No.222,329. (No model.)

tenders, the side curtains being applied in their extended position.Fig. 3 is a similar view of one side of the car with the rear sidecurtain extended. Fig. 4: is a detail perspective view, on an enlargedscale, of a portion of one of the front side curtains to disclose moreclearly the construction of attaching-hooks. Fig. 5 is a side elevationof another form of curtain.

Referring to the drawings, the numeral 1 designates the platform of acar; 2, the dashboard thereof; 3, the overhanging car-hood, and 4 thevertical supporting-rods extending from the platform to the hood. Theseare all of usual construction; but in addition thereto the numeral 5designates the upper distender, and 6 designates the lower distender,whereby the main curtain 7 of the storm-front is projected in advance ofthe dashboard to permit ready manipulation of the brake-handle andcurrent-controller of the car. These parts are all in accordance withthe invention covered by my previous application hereinbefore referredto, and therefore require no detailed explanation herein.

As before premised, it is the object of the present invention to protectthe operative of the car at the sides of the platform, which was notcontemplated by the construction covered by my former application, andto the accomplishment of this end front side curtains 8 are employed,which curtains are applied to the distenders in order to close thespaces formed between the edges of the main curtain 7 and thesupporting-bars 4. Each of these curtains 8 is formed of suitablematerial and is also provided with a sight-opening covered by a sheet oftransparent material 9, such as celluloid, mica, and similar substancescapable of flexion. The curtains 8 are held in position through themedium of spring attaching-hooks 10, said hooks being located at theupper and lower ends of said curtains and each provided with a coil 11,so that said hooks may be tensioned, and when the curtains are appliedthe hooks are connected to the upper and lower distenders 5 and 6, asclearly shown, but whereby they may be readily removed when necessityfor use of the storm-front does not prevail.

When applied in the manner indicated, the

curtains 8 effectually close the spaces at the points imnlediatclyadjacent to the side edges of the main curtain, and the contiguous edgesmay be fastened together through the medium of buttons, straps, or othersuitable fastening devices to effect a closure therebetween.

To close the sides of the platform, a rear side curtain 12 is suspendedfrom each side of the hood 3, the curtain being connected to a suitablespring-roller 13, suspended in any suitable form of journals, and wheneach of said curtains is extended the same is held in such positionthrough the medium of fastening devices 1 L, connected to the lower endof each curtain and coacting with eyes 15, which latter are secured atdifferent points between the top of the dashboard and the step. Thisarrangement of eyes 15 enables the lower end of the curtain to befastened at different points, thus enabling the space to be eitherentirely closed 01' only partially so, in accordance with the desires ofthe car operative.

In lieu of the form of front side curtains illustrated in Figs. 1 to Ithat form illustrated in Fig. 5 may be substituted, and it will be notedthat in this figure is disclosed a springroller 16 which is connected tothe upper end of the curtain, which roller will be suspended from theupper distender 5 through the medium of hooks 17, detachably connectedto said distender. The lower end of the curtain is also provided withattaching-hooks 10 for engagement with the lower distender to hold thecurtain in its extended position and in a manner which is obvious. Thiscurtain is also provided with a sight-opening covered by a transparentmedium, as shown at 18.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new, and desiredto be secured by Letters Patent, is

1. In a portable stormfront, the combination with a main curtain, anupper distender adapted to be connected to the hood of the car, and alower distender adapted to be connected to the dashboard of the car, offorward side curtains arranged between said up per and lower distendersand detachably connected thereto for closing the spaces formed at thesides of the main curtain by the distension thereof.

2. In a portable stormfront, the combination with a main curtain, anupper distender adapted to be connected to the hood of the car, and alower distender adapted to be connected to the dashboard of the car, offorward side curtains arranged between said upper and lower distendersand detachably connected thereto for closing the spaces formed at thesides of the main curtain by the distension thereof, and rear sidecurtains arranged beneath the hood of the car and adapted to close thespaces at the sides of the car-platform.

3. In a portable storm-front, the combination with a main curtain, anupper distender adapted to be connected to the hood of the car, and alower distender adapted to be connected to the dashboard of the car, offorward side curtains arranged between said upper and lower distendersand detachably connected thereto for closing the spaces formed at thesides of the main curtain by the distension thereof, and fasteningdevices for connecting the contiguous edges of the main curtain and theforward side curtains.

4. In a portable storm-front, the combination with a main curtain, anupper distender adapted to be connected to the hood of the car, and alower distender adapted to be connected to the dashboard of the car, offorward side curtains arranged between said up per and lower distendersand detachably connected thereto for closing the spaces formed at thesides of the main curtain by the distension thereof, rear side curtainsarranged beneath the hood of the car and adapted to close the spaces atthe sides of the car-platform, and fastening devices for connecting thecontiguous edges of the main curtain and the forward side curtains.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in the presence of twowitnesses.

HUGH M. ADAMS.

WVitnesses:

HENRY E. COOPER, FANNIE R. FITTON.

